Project Summary/Abstract: Pilot Projects and Trans-Network Activities Core The goal of the Pilot Projects and Trans-Network Activities Core is to support the development of research projects using PDX models that will advance the mission of the PDTC and PDXNet. The core will help to foster collaborative, translational research using well-characterized PDX models that recapitulate human disease. Projects will expand the scope of translational research and increase the number of investigators committed to testing CTEP agents using PDX models for developing the preclinical justification needed for Phase I/II clinical trials. Requests for Application (RFA) for two awards of $50,000 dollars a year will be solicited. One within the PDTC and one that is open to non-PDXNet members. The goal of these projects will be to support the translational goals of the PDTC to advance translational research through the use of PDX models or, research methods to enhance experimental validation and reproducibility across PDTCs. Requests for Applications (RFA) for PDX based projects will be requested annually. All developmental research project applications will be reviewed by Pilot Research Program Advisory Committee consisting of scientists (representing basic and applied science) with expertise in solid tumor cancers, a biostatistician, a patient advocate, and ad hoc members, as necessary (special expertise, no conflict of interest). This committee will make recommendations to the PDTC Leadership Committee, which will make final funding decisions. Relevance The work proposed will lead to increased utilization of PDXs as models of human disease that can be used as the preclinical justification for testing CTEP agents in patient sub-populations based on biomarkers.